Best Community Life
Best Nonprofit Group
SAVE OUR SHORES
1. For 30 years, Save Our Shores has been a crucial part of major local environmental victories such as preventing oil drilling in central coast waters and establishing the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
2. Save Our Shores three core initiatives are Plastic Pollution, Ocean Awareness and Clean Boating.
3. This year’s Earth Day cleanup will be on April 18at various locations around Santa Cruz; pre register online at saveourshores.org/volunteer/earth-day/.
4. Last year, 319 volunteers prevented 1,505 pounds of pollution from trashing Santa Cruz on Earth Day.
5. Save Our Shores is a founding member of the Plastic Pollution Coalition, a community partner in the San Lorenzo River Alliance, and a member of both the Clean Seas Coalition and the Sanctuary Education Panel. | AMANDA EDWARDS
Best Retreat Center
LAND OF MEDICINE BUDDHA
1. Land of Medicine Buddha is known throughout the world, but many Santa Cruz residents have neither heard of it nor visited. Its mission is to promote Buddhist and universal spiritual values, and the facility is open to all.
2. A meditation trail leads visitors on an exploration of the “Eight Verses of Mind Transformation” with words from the Dalai Lama. Meditation benches and prayer flags are at each stop.
3. Ordained monks and nuns live and work on the campus teaching classes and performing other duties. In the spirit of study and contemplation, guests are asked to keep conversations subdued.
4. A notice in the guest rooms says, “To preserve the sacred energy, visitors are asked to avoid killing any living being, including mosquitoes.” (If you find one, swish it out the door).
5. A vegan, gluten-free menu is offered daily, featuring items like asparagus soup, green salad with Thai peanut dressing, and raspberry oatmeal squares with locally grown strawberries. | JUNE SMITH
Best State Park
HENRY COWELL
1. Henry Cowell State Park has 15 miles of hiking and riding trails.
2. The forested areas include redwoods, mixed evergreens, riparian, and ponderosa pine.
3. The tallest tree in the park is about 285 feet tall, and about 16 feet wide. The oldest trees in the park are about 1400 to 1800 years old.
4. The Zayante Indians once lived in the same area the park occupies today.
5. Dogs and bikes are only allowed in parts of the park. | AMANDA EDWARDS
Beach
SEABRIGHT BEACH
East Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz
RUNNERS-UP Capitola Beach, Twin Lakes Beach
Bike Ride
WEST CLIFF DRIVE
RUNNERS-UP Wilder Ranch, Nisene Marks
Boardwalk Ride
GIANT DIPPER
400 Beach St., Santa Cruz, 423-5590, beachboardwalk.com
RUNNERS-UP Fireball, Log Ride
Derby Girl
VICTORIA MAYHEM
RUNNERS-UP Baby Girl, Shamrock N. Roller
Dog Park
ITS BEACH
West Cliff Drive, Santa Cruz
RUNNERS-UP Scotts Valley Dog Park, Frederick Street
Farmers Market
APTOS FARMERS MARKET AT CABRILLO
6500 Soquel Drive, Aptos, 728-5060, montereybayfarmers.org
RUNNERS-UP Downtown, Westside
Local Athlete (non-Derby)
NAT YOUNG
RUNNERS-UP Casey McGehee, Luke Rockhold
Local Hero
ANALICIA CUBE
RUNNERS-UP Jocelyn Dubin of Nourish, James Durbin
Neighborhood
SEABRIGHT
RUNNERS-UP Westside, Live Oak
Nonprofit Group
SAVE OUR SHORES
345 Lake Ave., # A, Santa Cruz, 462-5660, saveourshores.org
RUNNERS-UP Take Back Santa Cruz, Homeless Garden Project
Place of Worship
TWIN LAKES
2701 Cabrillo College Drive, Aptos, 465-3300, tlc.org
RUNNERS-UP Inner Light Ministries, Vintage Faith Church
Place to walk/jog/hike
WEST CLIFF DRIVE
RUNNERS-UP Nisene Marks, Pogonip
Retreat Center
LAND OF MEDICINE BUDDHA
5800 Prescott Road, Soquel, 462-8383, dharma.landofmedicinebuddha.org
RUNNERS-UP Mount Madonna Center, Vajrapani
State Park
HENRY COWELL
101 N Big Trees Park Road, Felton, 335-4598
RUNNERS-UP Nisene Marks, Wilder Ranch
Unfortunate Trend
CELLPHONES/TEXTING
RUNNERS-UP Homelessness, Tattoos
Wedding Venue
CHAMINADE RESORT & SPA
1 Chaminade Lane, Santa Cruz, 475-5600, chaminade.com
RUNNERS-UP Seascape Beach Resort, Kennolyn
